This is one of the coolest tracks in which we race. I like to call it a mini-mile because of its big corners and really fast pace. Last year it was so close between Jake Johnson and myself for the win that it was still being talked about this year. Winning it in 2011 was great and I was looking forward to doing it again. I started the day qualifying in second place overall, putting me in the 2nd Heat. I got the hole shot and led all the laps, winning the Heat. It was fast enough to put me on the pole for the Dash and the Main Event. I got the hole shot in the Dash and led it from start to finish with a lot of pressure on me. In the Main Event I got off the line 2nd but got by Jake pretty quickly, taking the lead. I led the race for a few laps, then got a red flag when Matt Weidman went down. On the restart I got out to the lead again and held it for a few laps until Kenny Coolbeth got by me. I tried to match his pace but he was getting away. Then someone else was all over me and I was having trouble getting down the straight a ways. Jake went by me and a lap later my night came to an end. The motor went South and took me out of the race. So now, my nice cushion of points lead that I had built up took a nosedive to only 11 points ahead. But at least we still had the lead.

SPRINGFIELD IL - Short Track

Springfield was next, a make-up date from the rained-out Labor Day weekend, with the Short Track on Saturday and the Mile on Sunday. The short track hasn’t been the greatest venue for me, but this time I had a different mind set going in. I qualified pretty well and was in the 3rd Heat with Henry Wiles and Sammy Halbert. Sammy was the guy with whom I was battling with for the Singles Championship, and Wiles has been The Man around the Springfield singles races. I knew I had my work cut out for me. I got off to a decent start but was shoved out of the way by Sammy, and then got a red flag right away.

At the restart I jumped out there and was running on the outside of Wiles, holding my line. At the end of the race I almost got by Wiles but ended up in 2nd place, with Halbert having to go to a Semi. In the Dash I got an decent jump but did not ride so well, I was not able to get a clear line. In the Main Event I did not get a good start but managed to move forward, working my way up to 3rd, and almost had a shot at 2nd, but ended the night in 3rd spot on the podium.

With my consistency this season in the Singles, I won the Singles National Championship for 2012. It was a lot of fun preparing the CRF450 Hondas myself and then riding them. I have to thank my friend Craig Pickett for all his help in teaching me how to build my Singles, as well as thanking another friend, former Grand National Racer Steve Beattie, who has helped me a lot with my Singles program. My Twins Program mechanic, Brent Armbruster, is at all the Singles races helping spin the wrenches and dialing me in. With the help of all of them, the concerted effort made my job easier to bring the Singles Championship home.

SPRINGFIELD MILE IL Mile

This is the day everyone gets pumped about. The track is always awesome and smooth and we have a lot of fun. I fast-qualified and sat on the pole for the 1st Heat Race. My bike was feeling fast and handling good. I got a good jump out of the hole and was able to get by Wiles on the first lap, running my own race. Right at the end JD Beach came up and started racing with me. He is on one of those fast Kawis, so passing him on the straight a way wasn’t in the cards. I managed to stay in 2nd place, putting me in the Dash. In the Dash I got off well and was racing with Jake but then came Bryan Smith who smoked by us in a flash. Bryan won the Dash, Jake was 2nd and I was 3rd.

For the Main Event I knew Bryan was THE guy. I wanted to get out with him and just run on his back tire. Well, it did not work that well. I got off well, and was able to lead a lap but after about four laps I got stuck in 4th and 5th places almost the whole race, unable to pass as the draft was so strong. On the last lap Willie McCoy and Jake Johnson came together and that allowed me to sneak past and grab the last podium spot. Smith won it and Sammy was 2nd. All in all, it was a good weekend. Jake beat me in the Dash and I beat him in the Main so I gained only 1 point on him from the total of 58 points available for both races together. It is very tight with only three races to go.

During Opening Ceremonies I proposed to my long time girlfriend Nichole Cheza, who races against me on the Circuit as # 15. Dropping to one knee, having the crowd go nuts, and seeing the surprised look on Nichole’s face made it so very special !